Purity and Love

Fr Sean Magnuson, former military chaplain, analyzes Newman's sermon "Purity and Love” by explaining that fervent love must come from the substance of purity, like a candle's flame coming from the substance of its wax. The life of St. John the Evangelist shows us that his burning love for Christ and His mother fed on his purity. Newman explains that when we are drawn to God's goodness and beauty with our own powers we freely and genuinely love Him and in turn, others. Grace received in purity works within our individual will by properly ordering our desire to Divine union. Divine intimacy requires deep trust in Him, posing the ultimate question: do I love this sin or thing more than God? Nothing but love can enable you to live well or die well.

To approach Newman's majestic thought it is highly recommended to download the formatted sermon at www.newmanontap.com. Comments and suggestions are appreciated on the same site.